Registers for utility meters have typically used some form of digital counting device for recording units of consumption.
Klyce, U.S. Pat. No. 3,543,259 and King et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,407, show capacitive-type meter reading devices. These devices are designed for use with dial-type meter registers.
Another type of meter register utilizes number wheels similar to odometers used in a wide variety of counting devices. This type of counting devices often use some type of contact system with contacts on the number wheel which contact a reference contact for detecting position. Such contact systems encounter the problems associated with contact systems in general, namely wear, shorting of contacts due to accumulated moisture and corrosion.
There is a need in the art of utility meters for non-contact encoder that is not subject to contact oxidation and wear.